Roger Eastlake settled Marge and Betty on the sofa in Privet Dr., trying to ignore that his every move was being watched by Mad-eye Moody and his Auror trainee. Inevitably Lucius' lawyer had been called to the scene of Black's attack and now that muggles were involved, of course Eastlake had been summoned.

Being muggleborn was an advantage at times since clashes with the muggle world were inevitable and a working knowledge of how your average muggle thought was absolutely vital. Questioning everyone and having a peek at the muggle's memories had taken up the evening to very close to the ten o'clock mark.

Dudley raced around the house with the trainee in tow to help – vanishing the now-cold pizza to make it appear they had eaten, gathering the dropped drinks from the yard and pouring some of them out to make it appear they had been used that evening. Dudley made use of a bag of microwave popcorn – amazing the trainee - and dumped it in the bowl and had part of it vanished as well.

Eastlake had ensured Marge and Betty remembered nothing and only recalled they had watched Dr Who all evening. Luckily the marathon had all been re-runs and both women had seen the episodes before. Dudley settled between the two with Seti laying across his shoulders and the bowl of popcorn in his lap just as the credits for the last episode started scrolling across the screen.

The three men disillusioned themselves and watched as Lucius immediately arrived. They smiled in relief at the faintly confused pleasantries from the women that were exchanged while Dudley was picked up. Lucius swung the front door wide to let everyone out, grimacing a bit. He knew that Moody would find an occasion to refer to him as a 'poncey door-opener' sometime in the future.

Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z

Lucius and Severus led some intensive searches for Black with a passle of Lucius' minions for the rest of the week along with any Order members not otherwise engaged. Andromeda led part of the time, trying out specific tracking charms that would allow her to find any nearby people with Black blood in them.

On, or near the Reserve it was difficult, as it kept leading her to Heather Black. As it didn't give her any other 'tugs' toward anyone else, she felt that Sirius was not nearby. They considered having Heather Black try, as she was now, at least legally, the interim head of the Noble House of Black. However she was unfamiliar with the spells and Andromeda said it took time to learn how to use the spells that were taught to the members of the House of Black from childhood.

The headlines involving Black's attack on Spinners End had the wizarding united in its effort to track down the escaped Black. Unfortunately that led to endless 'sightings' that left the Aurors scrambling to investigate them all. The academy students were drafted to assist with this, but they were still overwhelmed with bad leads … but, there were one or two good ones as well.

Black flitted here and there around a few magical communities in Wales, plus a few towns where magical people lived among muggles – a few streets full of houses with only magical occupants 'hiding in plain sight' among the otherwise muggle villages.

He'd stolen some food – hovering a cooked chicken out a window here, snatching a pie cooling on a table there. Some clothing went missing off a clothesline. Glimpses were seen of him, and they tracked the true sightings of him back and forth across Wales, sometimes only hours behind him.

Black seemed confused – he flitted from town to town, seemingly unable to figure out where his target was. Either he didn't know that Harry was on the dragon reserve or he was too confused to figure out where he was going. Tom had cryptically remarked that perhaps he simply wasn't crazy enough to try for the dragon reserve. At last the reports stopped – at least the ones that had led to true sightings. This made Lucius nervous but Severus just shook his head.

"School starts again in a few weeks – he's realized he won't get at Harry at his home, wherever it is – he'll be waiting for him at Hogwarts." Severus said in a chilly voice. "We'll have to be ready for him there."

His face remained impassive while saying this, only his eyes revealing any fear for Harry.

Tom nodded sharply and went out to continue his 'Patronus lessons' with the three young wizards. Lucius and Severus watched out the large back windows into the garden, it would be a worrying year. Even the protections in place against Black offered hazards – after all, Dementors were a problem, but at least they could do something about them.

All three boys could form a small shield of light, now. They continued to practice, but without something to cast against it was more difficult. Still, Tom felt they were making progress and they were working on making the charm more powerful. Hopefully they would eventually get the mist to form into the patronus animal.

While Severus and Lucius continued their search, Tom and the rest of the Reserve continued to guard the three boys closely. Rosemerta spent a great deal of time at the Reserve – leaving Renee and the new house-elf to run the pub and hire some extra help to replace her. She still went over for an hour or two every day, the rest were spent keeping an eye on Harry and reassuring Petunia – and therefore herself – that all would be well.

It had taken little encouragement to get the dragons to patrol the Reserve, looking for Black – or any other intruders for that matter. The dragons all liked and supported Tom, especially now that he was working on the Reserve – spending time with all the dragonriders and dragonkeepers and slowly working his way through the library and carefully planning out his out his own library of memories and journals.

Since the events with McNair all the dragons had become protective of Harry, Dudley and Draco. The threat from Black, now, was taken as a personal affront by the young bulls who apparently had nothing better to do than get militant over an imagined insult. When the clothing belonging to Black had been brought in by Tom the young males had all crowded in, wanting to be the first to memorize the scent and find the wizard. There had been a lot of shoving and roaring between them as they had gathered around Tom. Yvane hadn't helped … he'd been urging them on, to Tom's surprise. It seemed Yvane had been as outraged by Black as Tom had. Plus Yvane had promised to help protect Harry, and lately that had been difficult for him.

Yao had abandoned his hot pool to bellow at the young dragons – that they were to capture any intruders … not flame them or snack on them – and they were not to be seen by muggles. The young bulls had roared defiance – especially after Yvane had yelled that that was what wizards with their wands and obliviates were for.

It seemed Yvane was in no mood to be reasonable.

Tom hadn't been sure whether to be gleeful or horrified as the dragons had flown off.

When the first week had not garnered the dragons Sirius Black's scent the more tempermental Hungarian Horntails – three young bulls and one absolutely hellish young female - had snuck past the border to check out a nearby wood. Black hadn't been there, but they had found a newly established nest of acromantulas that had snuck off the reserve forest, presumably to feed on the nearby muggles.

The four Horntails had gleefully flamed the spiders and destroyed the nest. They had then flown back to the Reserve and had reported it all defiantly to Yao and, therefore, to Yuan. Yuan and two dragonriders had immediately apparated to the area to find that a large contingent of firetrucks and a news-crew had responded to 'the brush fire that had threatened to consume the woods' and wasn't it awful how dry a summer they were having to make fires so easy to start.

Yuan had been quite relieved that obliviates had not been necessary, especially when he was giving the report to the IFOW about the fire and alerting the British Ministry of Magic that the nests of Acromantulas were perhaps getting restless.

The dragons had been very loud that night – the bellowing and roaring carrying on quite late into the night as the older dragons had lectured the younger on the need for discretion and the younger insisting that getting rid of the spiders and looking for Black had been more important. Tom was kept awake even after Severus had put up silencing spells because Yvane was in the middle of the debate and Tom had to listen – like it or not.

The youngsters had finally sullenly agreed to be more circumspect. Yao and Yuan were left to hope that the young dragons' definition of circumspect – as well as Yvane's - matched their own.

Now, as Tom watched the three boys practice the Patronus charm diligently he didn't know if he hoped Black was headed toward Hogwarts or the Reserve … the dragons would be watching, but with their luck Black might slip past them. Hogwarts should be secure but they were all wary of having Lupin there as a Professor, now – he was an old friend of Black's and the wolf in him might insist he be loyal to a packmate – no matter how murderous that packmate was.

Lucius and Severus went the next morning to grump at the Headmaster and arrange a few things for the coming school year. Arranging the Potions class was now automatic for Severus, but it did still take some time. Lucius no longer had to do more than sit in on a History of Magic class or two and sign off on the syllabus, but he did want to see if Adrian Pucey had finished the book he was 'co-writing with Lockhart'. Not to mention he was making last minute arrangements for his own mastery classes in ancient runes.

This left Tom to take Draco and Harry to the Ministry to register their Animagus forms. Dudley tagged along as well, with Seti being happily carried in his arms.

Minerva met them at the ministry atrium, and they were immediately surrounded by eager reporters. Severus and Lucius had long since realized it was better to throw the press the bones they wanted to give them rather than have over-eager reporters haunting their every step.

Severus had owled the Minister, letting him know that Harry and Draco were registering their animagus forms that morning. Fudge let a few hints drop and the swarming had begun. He'd decided the event could take place in the atrium – more room, and any of the general public that happened to be around could watch as well. After all registering one's form was really just the proper ministry flunky recording the wizards form and ensuring the wizard knew the magic well enough that ministry obliviators and curse breakers would not be summoned to a muggle's garden to deal with a partially transformed flamingo – one time of that was more than enough.

Hugo and Rufus were there, along with a score of some of the move advanced cadets at the academy. They were being drilled in how to provide security for high-profile wizards and witches – what to watch for, how to keep the targets safe, but still able to do whatever they are there for.

Hugo had immediately let everyone in the atrium know that anyone drawing a wand would be cursed first – and they would ask questions later. "We can't check all of your backgrounds, etc beforehand, so we'll just have to assume anyone with a wand in their hand is an assailant – so be warned ..." Hugo gave them all a grim glare, causing mass flinching from the crowd and a few onlookers scurried either to offices or the floos.

At last Tom lead his three charges into the atrium, scowling a little at the sight of so many in the inpromptu audience. Yuan had sent along three of his most impressive looking dragonriders in full dragonhide regalia – including short swords, daggers and threatening glares. They surrounded the boys and kept even the eager press back.

Professor McGonagall had arrived as well and Fudge welcomed everyone, saying that he wanted to demonstrate that British wizarding schools were leading the pack in advancements and that the curriculum at Hogwarts was among the very best. Professor McGonagall announced cheerfully that she intended to start offering an advanced class of transfiguration that would study animagus transformations.

The press started shouting some questions while Draco and Harry made out the lengthy application form for the nervous ministry worker. Minerva, Fudge, Tom and even Dudley continued to field the questions while the ministry worker sweated through reading out the rules, regulations, etc regarding animagus forms to Harry and Draco.

At last Draco stepped forward to demonstrate his mastery of his form – Harry had asked him to go first. Harry had heard there was an enormous betting pool on what his form was. Everyone had heard it was 'avian' and those at the inquiry who had seen Draco's memory knew it's general size, though the pensieve memory had been hazy – Draco himself hadn't seen him that well.

Still, everyone had a theory and wanted to place a bet – astronomy charts had been consulted, seers had done a brisk business and records of animagus forms registered by members of the Potter family had been looked through. They'd found a Potter who had been a small hawk called a merlin and that was now the odds-on favourite. The implications of Harry Potter being a 'merlin' were discussed at length in the Daily Prophet, to Harry's dismay who felt that implying he was was related to merlin because of an animagus form was ridiculous. Especially since it wasn't true.

Still, he wanted to let the silly wizards betting on this sweat for a little longer. There was a witch with a microphone from the wizarding wireless breathlessly speaking into it. There were probably hundreds of inebriated wizards in pubs all around England waiting to hear if they had won their bet.

Draco stepped up and with a cheeky grin popped into his gyrfalcon form, flying over the oohing crowd for a bit and landing with a flourish of his wings. There was some applause at this and Draco stepped over to receive his card from the ministry with a picture of him flying as a falcon on it.

Harry stepped forward and there was a hush as he popped into his Osprey form and took flight as well. The number of flashes going off in the atrium was nearly blinding and Harry had to make a quick landing on the broad rump of the centaur statue in the atrium fountain. He took off again and made it to the stage, even with his eyes quite dazzled. There was thunderous applause, amid a few shouts of "that bloody seer said he was a griffin" and "I was sure he'd be a merlin..."

Harry grabbed the card with the picture on the front and the ministry seal and his name on the back that said he was a registered animagus. He waved it at the audience with a happy smile and even answered a few questions before being hustled out by the dragonriders and Tom. The reporters scurried away, well satisfied … except for Rita Skeeter.

She'd been warned by her editor "to make no waves." Skeeter had continued to keep up a low-level sniping at Harry and his family, not enough to get howlers but enough that people read her column so they could write in to say that she was wrong – which was fine with the editor, since it meant people were reading – and therefore buying the paper.

Since Severus and Rosmerta's marriage and Harry's obvious happiness in that, the wizarding world had heaved a sigh of relief and then they dropped most of their collective guilt over Harry losing his parents when he had 'saved them from He Who Must Not Be Named'. Therefore anyone attacking the occupants of Dragonsrest were challenging the view that Harry Potter was happy and being well taken care of – few wanted to think that, so Rita's articles were viewed with an unhappy eye by most.

So, when Harry raced to get the next morning's Daily Prophet and Quibbler and a couple of 'special edition' magazines most of the stories oozed praise over Harry and Draco. Harry was admiring the splendid photo splashed across the front of the Prophet showing him flying in to land on the centaur's broad rump. Harry had lamented not getting a photo of the event but Severus had said that any of the newspapers or magazines would fall over themselves to give him a copy.

"It's kind of creepy to think all these people would send me pictures, just to be able to say that that I'd wanted one." Harry shook his head. He knew that he was famous, etc., but it still tended to startle him at times.

"Well, both Lucius and I have talked to you about the proper use of fame – we've certainly demonstrated it with having you assist the werewolves in garnering at least a modicum of justice in the wizarding world." Severus answered patiently. "Certainly it's better for you to have a modest outlook on it – there is nothing more off-putting than a celebrity or so-called hero with an attitude of entitlement." Severus sighed quietly. He couldn't complain about Harry's unassuming attitude … not when he'd thought for years he'd be dealing with a clone of James … back before he'd actually met Harry.

Severus eyed Harry who was still admiring the front page picture. "I assure you they will think nothing of you asking for a copy of the picture if you send a polite request for one." Severus buttered a scone and sipped at his coffee. "Of course a few flowery compliments regarding the picture would not come amiss."

Rosemerta chuckled as she sat at the table, having caught the tail end of the conversation. She grabbed up the newspaper as Harry sat it down. "It is a lovely picture, Harry – if they'll send a color copy, we can enlarge it and hang it over the fireplace." She waved a hand at the empty space. Then she looked down at the bottom section of the page and laughed.

"Ah … well, here is the winner of the Ministry sponsered betting pool – they call it a 'philanthropic contest' since half the pool of money went to 'educational funding'." Rosemerta pointed out a rather scary picture of a ragged hag with a gap-toothed grin and extremely wild hair. She was holding a tiger cat with ears obviously torn from past fights who was looking in the camera with a sneer. In the other hand she was holding up a fat bag full of galleons. "Madame Magpie of Arbroath, Scotland was the only one to guess you were an Osprey animagus … she says her cat, Snoop, told her what you were … she doesn't say how he knew, though."

They all leafed through the various publications, pointing at some especially nice pictures. Severus scanned the article that quoted Minerva's plans for an advanced class for animagus forms and related self-transfigurations like metamorphmagus abilities. There was a large advertisement near the article saying that Flourish and Blotts was having a large sale on books relating to animagus abilities.

Tom trailed down a bit late as it was Saturday and he'd spent a late night with Dora and some of her Auror trainee friends.

"Do you have the entire day off, then, Tom?" Severus asked. At Tom's questioning nod he continued. "I need to go to the ministry with Lucius and the Headmaster. We're trying to reason with Fudge and the Aurors – we can't talk them out of having the dementors at Hogwarts but we need to decrease the number they're sending – they're practically emptying Azkaban. They want to send a full one hundred." Severus shook his head at the lunacy. "There are currently only 128 in Britain in total."

Tom nodded in agreement – 100 dementors that close to already over-emotional teenagers as well as homesick pre-teens. Lunacy, that's what it was. "I take it you need me to do something you had planned for today that you are unable to now?" Tom grinned at Severus' chagrined look and nod of agreement.

"I had arranged to pick up a large order of seeds needed to replenish the potions ingrediant garden at Hogwarts from the Chelsea Psychic Garden. We get mostly the same order every year, so they prepare for it." Severus smiled at Tom and Harry's surprise. "The garden was established in 1673 and is a good place to get seeds in bulk at a cheaper price. Hogwarts has been getting from them since they started. It started out as a seed exchange – but now we just buy the seeds."

"They have a wizarding section, then?" Tom asked hesitantly.

"Well – the place always has had apothecary wizards and witches going there for things. More than one squib has worked there – some wizards as well, who were looking for experience." Severus answered. "It doesn't have a designated area for wizards and we never sought to have one, as it is perfectly safe to simply go there and buy or trade seeds."

"Can I come along?" Harry asked in wheedling tones. "I'd like a stroll in muggle London – we might come across something interesting. Please?" Harry dragged out the final word pleadingly.

Severus rolled his eyes and Rosmerta chuckled. But, truthfully, there wasn't much else for Harry to do today, as Rosmerta was heading for the mead and butterbeer suppliers today. Dudley and Draco were being punished by Petunia over an incident involving Dobby, an airhorn and a platter of blueberry muffins. They were cleaning their rooms without assistance from Dobby or their wands. There was likely a lot of whining occuring.

They were soon all off on their various errands. Tom and Harry took a floo to Chelsea – there was enough traffic to the area that there was a ministry maintained floo in a small coffee shop. It seemed to be doing a brisk business with the muggles and young witch who took assisted them out of the back of the shop shrugged, "... the coffee shop was supposed to be a cover – but the muggles seem to like our coffee … it is from Turkey and all ..."

They'd worn jeans and T-shirts under their robes and Tom rolled the robes up and shrunk them to put in a bag. They strolled the gardens once they got there, and bought a book on the history of the gardens and eventually picked up the seeds. Yvane kept up a running commentary about the place – a dragon couldn't visit Chelsea, even in the 1600's, but his riders had all been familiar with it.

They walked through a few streets, looking into shops. They found some books to buy, of course and found a truly garishishly colored T-shirt that said "I do whatever the Rice Crispies tell me to". They bought it, and debated about who to give it to – Severus, who would incendio it, or Albus, who would likely wear it.

Their debate was cut short by childish chanting across the roadway. "Weirdo! Weirdo! Crazy Lizzy … Crazy Lizzie!" To their shock this was followed by handsfulls of pebbles being pelted at a tiny form crouched in the corner of the playground.

Tom and Harry raced across the road, looking for a teacher to alert when their eyes fell on the large sign declaring the place to be a "Home for Children" - one of the many euphamisms for an orphanage. This brought forward all of Tom's latent wrath for careless caretakers from his own experience at orphanages.

Yvane seemed equally troubled "That's a wizard child ..."

Tom placed himself between the small form and it's startled tormentors. Several ran immediately, dropping the remaining pebbles. The rest were transfixed by the look in Tom's eyes – it had been rather easy to bring forward his old look from fifty years ago that had cowed even wizard children by it's promise of pain and retribution. The remaining children gulped and stuttered a few excuses - "Sorry, didn't mean to …" and "She's a freak, you know ...makes weird things happen ..." before the rest of the children were all running for it.

Yvane chuckled and said "Well done … serves the little blighters right."

"You're advocating terrorizing children, now?" Tom laughed, trying to shake off the remaining fury from being reminded of his own torments as a child.

Harry had soothed the small girl, pulling her to her feet. She looked to be about 4 or 5 under the dirt on her face. Her arms, legs and face were covered in small cuts from the stones and there were old and new bruises. To his dismay he could hear Harry promising it wouldn't happen again … that she was going away with them.

The girl turned hopeful blue eye to him, and Harry fixed him with a militant look just as Yvane whispered, "Why not?" Tom thought quickly … how many times had he hoped and prayed for a rescue like this when he'd been surrounded by tormentors in his own orphanage?

Tom nodded shortly and they each took a hand, leading the girl – Elizabeth, apparently – into the front of the building. They found the main office quickly enough – several of Elizabeth's torturers were in there, talking quickly and waving their arms – getting their own version of events in before they could be ratted out.

The matron looked at Tom with tired eyes – she obviously knew exactly what had occurred and was hoping he and Harry would not make too much of a fuss over this. The children scurried past them, shooting Elizabeth looks that promised pain if she said anything against them.

Tom looked at the matron consideringly as he waved Harry and Elizabeth to the loo to wash her up. Tom cast a slight wandless, wordless confundus and spoke calmly. Tom intended to not bother with objections to anything – why do so when he intended to take Elizabeth away immediately?

"We're distant relatives of the girl's – we've been looking for her for quite some time, we're here to take her away, now." Tom fished around in his wallet for a moment and found Angus Essex's card. He was stymied for a moment, not sure how to actually call them, but Harry called out instructions on how to use the telephone and Tom felt quite accomplished when he reached the lawyer's office and told Angus what had happened.

Roger Eastlake immediately apparated to the office which now had it's curtains and blinds shut to prevent small eyes from seeing any magic. Roger took one look at the cuts and bruises on Elizabeth and lost his smile. "We can certainly arrange custody of her for you, but what will you do with her then?"

Tom blinked uncertainly. "I'm sure there's someone in the wizarding world that will want her – I can't tell you the number of times I've heard a kid say "mum and dad wanted more of us, but ..."

Roger nodded and asked for Elizabeth's file while Harry sat the child down and started telling her the story of "The evil knight Sir McNair and the noble dragon Hazelette." Yvane's snickering made it hard for Tom to listen to Roger and he finally hissed at him mentally to hush up.

While Roger looked the file over Tom peered into the matron's eyes again. "Are there any other children with similar 'problems' like Elizabeth's?" Tom asked.

"Just one..." The matron said dreamily. "... several couples have had her over to their homes to see if they suit each other." The matron lightly shuddered. "The stories they tell when they bring her back ..." Tom scanned her surface memories with Yvane avidly looking on as well. She had memories of frantic couples telling tales of levitating books, glass breaking, fireplaces roaring to life … all familiar events for wizarding parents dealing with children's accidental magic – and totally nightmarish for muggle parents.

"You are to call Angus Essex the very moment that you hear she is coming back", Tom intoned with a quiet command in it. He wouldn't leave another child to deal with a stoning and cat-calls.

Roger soon had things as arranged as they could get and Tom, Harry and Elizabeth left – apparating to the lawyer's offices and flooing from there to Dragonsrest. Tom had placed a light sleeping charm on her before starting the journey. Harry lay her on a sofa while Tom hesitated and decided to enlist Rosmerta first and caught her at the 3 Broomsticks – luckily she was done with her errand and was just gossiping with Renee.

Rosmerta listened to their tale with a gasp of horror and ran in to look at the child. She was soon awakened and scooped up by the clucking Rosmerta and taken for a bath and a great deal of reassurance that nothing bad would ever happen to her again while Rosemerta was around.

Tom and Harry firecalled Petunia to let the occupants of Spinners End know the tale, getting Petunia as an ally and telling her to alert Lucius that Essex or Eastlake might be calling about the other child.

At last Severus arrived home, muttering that at least they'd gotten the number of dementors guarding Hogwarts down to fifty, but Severus expected he'd better start brewing vats full of calming draughts and cheering beverages.

He finally noticed that Tom and Harry seemed remarkably nervous and glared at them. "You didn't leave the order of seeds at some muggle sports bar, did you?"

They both shook their heads frantically and told the story one more time. Severus listened with an impassive face, and then heard a high-pitched giggle from the upstairs bath that definitely wasn't Tinker. He swept past the pair and went up the stairs, fairly certain of what he would find. Sure enough, the child was neck-deep in Rosmerta's favorite bubble bath. Her hair was a dark honey-blonde, now that it free from dirt.

She looked at him curiously with cornflower blue eyes and Severus grimaced at the sight of the cuts and bruises as yet unhealed on her face. Rosemerta looked over at him, a question in her eyes. Severus sighed and managed a faint smile.

"Well, at least she won't have colic or wake us for 2 o'clock feedings." Severus joked, making Rosmerta smile through her look of intense relief. She obviously had become very attached to the child in very short order. "I'll get some bruise cream and a healing potion appropiate to her size and age."

He turned to find two surprised young men. Tom had thought it would take a few days to talk Rosmerta and Severus into this. Harry just beamed, "We get to keep her, then?" Severus rolled his eyes and nodded.

Tom and Harry high-fived each other and charged downstairs, now quite hungry after sucessfully completing their mission.

Elizabeth watched the dark-cloaked man leave with a touch of awe. "Who was that?" she whispered to Rosmerta.

Rosmerta smiled, "His name is Sev … and he's mine." She winked at Elizabeth, making her giggle.

Elizabeth relaxed, confident that in spite of how formidable he might seem, Sev must be alright.

Much later Severus tensed, coming out of sleep at full alert. There was an intruder and he wasn't sure how hostile they might be. He snaked his wand out and sat up, a lumos lighting the room and looked down into the awestruck blue eyes.

Severus scowled and glanced at the clock … 2 AM. "Yes, Miss Elizabeth?" He intoned in his best 'Head of House' voice.

"I'm thirsty." She answered, looking at him uncertainly.

Severus sighed and grabbed a hankerchief from the sidetable, tranfiguring it into a glass, tapped in twice – once to conjure ice and once to fill it with water. This was greeted with a gasp and a squeal of admiration as Severus handed it to her. Severus wavered between basking in the admiration and being irritated at being incorrect about no 2 AM feedings. He finally shooed her back to bed and stood in the doorway to make sure she got there.

He was welcomed back to bed with a kiss and a "You're a good dad."

Perhaps it would be alright, he thought.

Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z

Elizabeth was introduced to the occupants of Spinners End the next day, although she hung shyly by Rosmerta until Seti appeared. Then she spent some time chasing him around the house. Seti trotted ahead of her leading her on a long chase before retiring to the top of a bookcase, leaving her to pout at the bottom of it.

Dudley looked at Seti a bit apologetically. "I'll fetch you when we're ready to leave, if you want to take a nap." Seti answered by sniffing and curling into a ball with his back to Dudley.

Petunia and Rosemerta plotted out an epic shopping trip, deciding on a mix of wizard and muggle stores – they needed, after all to outfit her room, a complete wardrobe, toys, books, etc and on and on.

Tom was planning a wizard orphanage so he could rescue every wizard child he could find. Lucius was listing dozens of obstacles, though he and Severus said they'd help circumvent them – they were Slytherins, after all.

The plotting was interupted by a call from Essex's office – the 'other girl' was being brought back by the muggles who had taken her home for a 'trial visit'. The matron had been told by them – with the help of a confundus - that the girl had a 'relative' who would be taking her away immediately after she came back.

Lucius grinned at Tom, "Let me pick this one up for you – while you figure out where you're going to put her." Tom glowered at him and turned back to his 'plans.'

Lucius happily apparated to the coordinates he'd been given and stalked past the playground full of children. He gave them an icy glare – how dare the little hooligans harm a wizard child?

The matron was obviously still a bit confunded as she blearily looked at him. "You're here to fetch Victoria?"

Lucius hoped that his "Yes" was the correct response when a pair of harried and sleepless muggles came into the office, while a small girl strolled in behind them and stared defiantly up at the matron.

Lucius looked at her in astonishment, feeling a bit dizzy. The 5 year old had platinum blond hair and was now staring at him with frosty blue eyes that matched his own.

"Well, you said t..that th..there was a relative here for her. Obviously that's him – best for everyone all around." The nervous man stuttered just before dragging his traumatized looking wife out the door and fleeing.

The girl gazed after them with a smug smile before turning back to the stupified Lucius, "And you are …?" She asked imperiously.

Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z